Erskine goal secures impressive win for Naomh Ultan over Urris

Naomh Ultan turned in an impressive display against misfiring Urris and were well worth this eight- point JFC victory over the table toppers in Dunkineely.

Naomh Ultan 1-10
Urris 0-5

The visitors were outplayed in most departments and had trouble with the sheer pace of the home side breaking at speed from the half back-line.

Despite being second best, Urris still missed three good goal chances including a penalty in the opening half.

Instead, it was the home side who grabbed the all-important goal from corner forward Mark Erskine after a great run by the re-located Daniel Gallagher in the 40th minute.

Erskine’s tap-in put the industrious home side into a pretty unassailable lead by 1-8 to 0-4 after they led by 0-7 to 0-3 at the break.

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Naomh Ultan put their stamp on matters from the start and eased into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after five minutes thanks to points from marksman Cian Kennedy and Peter Alvey with Owen McLaughlin replying for the Inishowen men.

We had a bit of drama in the eighth minute when Urris’s towering full-forward Dean Kelly was dragged back as his shot for goal was saved. Naomh Ultan keeper Daniel McGlynn saved the spot kick from Conor Bradley and the ball was scrambled clear.

Kennedy put the home side ahead by 0-4 to 0-1 after ten minutes.

The home side had another close shave in the 12th minute when keeper McGlynn saved a point- blank effort from Urris corner-forward Dean Harkin.

Dermot Gallier and Bradley swapped points to leave the home side leading by 0-5 to 0-2 midway through the half.

Even though Naomh Ultan were well on top it took a brave diving save from Aaron Kyles to stop Dean Kelly’s point-black effort as the home side piled on points from Kennedy and Donal Murrin with McCarron replying for Urris to leave the home side leading by 0-7 to 0-3 at the break.

Urris had the better of the early exchanges in the second half but could find no way through a very well organised Naomh Ultan-well marshalled by Kyles.

McCarron narrowed the gap for Urris to just three points, but that was as good as it got for the below par visitors who ten nine to the home side’s seven.

The clinching score came in the 40th minute when Erskine finished a lightning Naomh Ultan move to the net after a superb run by Daniel Gallagher. Dermot Gallier palmed the ball off the Naomh Ultan upright before it broke kindly for Erskine.

Naomh Ultan landed two more points from the nippy Luke Gallagher and Joe Alvey with impressive Urris sub Mickey Grant landing the final score for the Inishowen men who were not really showing their hand.

Both sides were through to the knock-out stages, but Naomh Ultan have put down a real marker.

Naomh Ultan scorers: Cian Kennedy 0-3, 2f; Mark Erskine 1-0; Dermot Gallier 0-2; Joe Alvey, Paddy White, Luke Gallagher, Joe Alvey, Darragh Murrin 0-1 each.   

Urris scorers: John McCarron 0-2; Owen McLaughlin, Conor Bradley, Mickey Grant 0-1 each.

Naomh Ultan: Daniel McGlynn; Daniel Gallagher, Jack Boyle, Kevin McGuinness; Joe Alvey, Aaron Kyles, Peter Alvey; John Knightly, Paddy White; Darragh Murrin, Cian Kennedy, Kyle Breslin; Luke Gallagher, Dermot Gallier, Mark Erskine. Subs: Darragh Byrne for Gallier and Jamie Cunningham for White; Paddy White for Knightly.

Urris: Johnny Noone; Andy Reilly, Luke Devlin, Matthew Brennan; Owen McLaughlin, Oisin Devlin, Oisin Hession; John McCarron, Gavin McDaid; Conor Bradley, Peter Devlin, Tiarnan McDonald; Brendan Doherty, Dean Kelly, Dean Harkin. Subs: Mickey Grant for Peter Devlin and Paddy Doherty for McDonald (h-t), Kevin McLaughlin for Hession (45), Pearse McCarron for McDaid (54)

Referee:  Niall McCready (Aodh Ruadh).